


Practice Room

by woofskaya



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Crimson Flower, F/F, Fluff, no major spoilers, tiny emperor finds new room and has to show gf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:47:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25810828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woofskaya/pseuds/woofskaya
Summary: While trying to unwind, Edelgard comes across a room she's never seen before - one she knows Dorothea is bound to love.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Practice Room

There had been little opportunity to relax. War had never been particularly forgiving, keeping everyone primed to mobilise at whatever opportunity presented itself. Edelgard had spent so long strategising, organising troops and making plans, that the stress of it had begun to push her over to the point of impracticality. Her decisions - Hubert stated - were getting sloppy. She  _ needed  _ a break. 

That was how she found herself strolling around the monastery. Originally, her intention had been to find Dorothea. From their time as students, they had fallen into a closeness that neither was sure they had experienced prior, and much like a dog on a scent, Edelgard was hooked. The Emperor hadn’t known love before; Dorothea had never known it of the  _ genuine  _ kind. 

The click of Edelgard’s heels resonated in the halls as she took herself down the corridors she strayed at the clock’s whims each day, going between the Cardinal’s Room and the Audience Chamber. She would have been sure that she could draw a perfect map of the place. And yet today, as she strolled into the Audience Chamber, she noticed something new.

A door.

She fumbled for the keyring she carried around, wincing at the sharp clatter of metal. Where was the skeleton key? How she had missed this before, she had no idea. There could have been valuable information here! If this revealed more knowledge about the Immaculate One, about her history, her  _ weaknesses _ … it would be endlessly helpful. 

But that wasn’t what she found on the other side of the door. Everything was thickly blanketed in dust. Spider webs hung wispy from the ceiling, and the musty smell of old books and uncleaned upholstery caught her nose. The walls were draped with dark curtains, which puzzled her especially considering the skylight illuminating the room. 

Edelgard had never seen a room like this before. She paced over to something smothered in a tarp, and pulled it off hesitantly. A piano. Pushing the fallboard up, she marveled at how well kept the keys were, and pressed a finger shyly against the ivory. The note gave her a fright; she didn’t quite expect it to  _ work _ . The note was clear and crisp, if a little out of key. Looking around further, she spotted a few stands (presumably for sheet music), and a couple of instruments in cases. 

Instead of disappointment at the lack of vital war information, she was suddenly struck with incredible excitement. Now she  _ had _ to find Dorothea! She would love this. Glimpsing around frantically, she hurried off, locking the door as not to risk spoiling the surprise. 

It took a shockingly long time to find the woman in question. When she eventually caught up with her, she was engaging with Byleth. Edelgard gave a few wary steps closer. If Byleth were to ask what she was up to, or what she was so eager to take Dorothea for, she would be unable to lie to him, but she absolutely wished to keep this between herself and Dorothea. 

Her approach was distinctly unstealthy, with her teacher raising a brow at the Emperor acting so bizarrely. Her face flushed.    
“Come,” He said, gesturing her over to join, “Are you well?”   
“Very much so,” Edelgard nodded, “I was… uncertain about interrupting.”    
“It’s no trouble. I was bothering Dorothea for reason-magic advice. I’ll leave you to it.” Normally, she’d have encouraged his stay, but instead she just nodded, and waved him off with her partner beside her. 

“Dot,” Edelgard started, her voice strung with a note of excitement, “I found something today.”    
“Oh?” A brow raised, and she reached to hold Edelgard’s hand, “Are you going to tell me, or is this some kind of strange brag?”   
“No! Yes, I’ll tell you,” She was a little frazzled by this, like she couldn’t quite keep up with her thoughts. She took a step back, gesturing with a slight jerk of the head, “Come with me.” 

Part of Dorothea wanted to tease her - to tell her to ask nicely, or refuse to move - but she couldn’t help but be drawn into the rare moment of elation her partner showed so freely. Instead, she gave her hand a squeeze, and allowed herself to be led up the stairs to the Audience Chamber. Edelgard stopped for a moment, letting go of her hand and fumbling for the key. 

“This door  _ definitely  _ didn’t used to be here,” Dorothea remarked, kicking it lightly at the base, “One of us should have seen it by now.”    
“You would think that would be the case,” She slid the key in, turned it, then hesitated, “Dottie, the second I saw this room, I  _ had _ to come and find you.”   
“Just let me in, Edie! You know I don’t like waiting.” 

Edelgard eagerly opened the door, taking strides towards the piano as Dorothea clicked the door shut with her heel. She looked almost in awe. A little irritation struck, as though the Church had somehow short changed her for never letting her know about this. 

“Edie - do you know what this room is?”   
“Not really.”   
“It’s a music practice room. When I was at the Mittelfrank Opera Company, we had a room just like this. Obviously for practice and music lessons, but it was also attached to the wings of the main stage. We would do vocal warm ups there, ready to come on.”   
Edelgard nodded, “Why are there so many curtains?”

The songstress had already made her way over to one, brushing her fingers over the heavy draping, “It’s noise cancelling, and it dampens the echo in the room.”   
“Are there just walls behind them?”   
“Or a secret door,” She laughed, “Though, given that  _ ours _ was joined to a stage wing, it isn’t impossible…” 

That led the two of them to pulling at curtains, hoping to find something exciting on the walls. It was a surprisingly big practice room, and with the growing dark setting in above, it was harder and harder to see behind the black draping. Dorothea suddenly gave a joyous squeak, shouting Edelgard over. The key was in the door as soon as possible.

It revealed a room with no windows, but in the failing light of the previous room, the shorter of the pair spotted a sconce, and nudged Dorothea’s attention its way. She struck it lit with magic, and in a chain reaction, the rest sparked to life. The light revealed a rather modest performance hall. 

Dorothea was straight to the stage, climbing the dusty stairs and wandering the mahogany boards. This felt so utterly out of place. On a balcony above was an organ. As Dorothea pondered this, thinking just  _ what _ was shown in this room, Edelgard began sneezing uncontrollably.

“Oh, Edie,” She laughed, making her way back down to her, handing a handkerchief, “Too much dust?”   
“You think?” Stifling another sneeze, she wiped her face with the cloth, “This could all do with a good clean. Perhaps we’ll have a use for it.”    
“Hm… When we make that opera of your life, we’ll perform it here - in the Church you destroyed.”

Edelgard chucked, following Dorothea across the stage. The songstress offered a hand out, and pulled the Emperor into her hold, lifting their locked fingers up.   
“Dance with me?”    
Edelgard blushed, “Alright… But I’m leading.”   
“Go ahead.” 

She set her hand on the small of Dorothea’s back, giving her an adoring look. Dancing was something Edelgard knew well, and taking the leading role here felt much more comfortable. But she did lean her head in against her partner, smiling as she felt a bare laugh rumble from her chest. Music filled the air as Dorothea began to sing, the two of them moving across the dust laden stage. 

“Dot?”   
“Hm?”   
“For now, let’s keep this place for us alone.”    
“A lover’s getaway?”   
She nodded.

They stopped center stage, unravelling from each other and standing in the converging rays of light. Edelgard reaches up, tentative, and cups Dorothea’s cheeks, thumbing over the skin. They're both flushed in face when the taller of them leans in, brushing their lips softly, grinning against her mouth when she feels Edelgard shift up onto her toes, putting some weight into the kiss. 

“I love you, Dorothea.”   
“And I - you, El.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I love Edelthea,,,
> 
> find me at @woofskaya on twitter!


End file.
